Review The Cold Chain Of West Java, Badanas Strengthening Regional Food Stock

Photo: Doc. Heat

JAKARTA - Head of the National Food Agency (NFA) Arief Prasetyo Adi attended a Cheap Food Title (GPM) and World Food Day Commemoration (HPS) with the theme "Together Forming Sovereign Indonesian Strong Food" in Bandung today. Arief said West Java Province (Jabar) has great and diverse food potential, even known as a national rice barn.

"As is known, West Java is one of the important food barns for Indonesia. This potential needs to be supported by adequate infrastructure with technology so that the commodities produced can provide added value for the economic growth and nutrition of the community, as well as for food stability and security," said Arief in Bandung, Tuesday, November 8.

The amount of West Java rice production in 2021 is known to reach 5.2 million tons, which makes West Java one of the largest rice center provinces.

Apart from rice, said Arief, West Java is also a producer of shallots, large chilies, palawija, and various fruits.

"This high food potential must be supported by food logistics facilities with good technology in order to have a significant impact on food security and community nutrition, improve the welfare of local farmers, breeders, and fishermen," he said.

Then, Arief said NFA is ready to support the strengthening of food potential in West Java through the allocation of food logistics facilities and infrastructure that is useful for extending the storage period of products, such as through the provision of reefer collectors, air blast freezers, cold storage, and heat pumps in food production centers.

"These food logistics infrastructures generally aim to secure cold chains of food so that stocks are maintained. We have allocated six facilities for Cianjur Regency, Bandung Regency, and Ciamis Regency. One of them, we have symbolically handed over the commemoration of World Food Day in West Java," he explained.

The allocation of food logistics facilities and infrastructure, added Arief, is an NFA strategy in stock management and stabilization of strategic food prices. In addition, this step is also part of the extra effort to control food inflation.

Furthermore, Arief also expressed his appreciation and appreciation for the West Java Provincial government for its success in maintaining stock stability and food prices in its territory.

He also thanked West Java for its contribution in meeting food needs in deficit areas, thus playing a role in reducing national food inflation.

"One of the concrete actions that have been carried out is the collaboration between the West Java Provincial Government and the NFA, Ministry of Transportation, and the Ministry of Trade to send 200 tons of rice from West Java to Aceh via the Sea Toll Road from Patimban port. On this day, we will send rice from West Java to Sumatra," he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of West Java Uu Ruzhanul Ulum said this is a good form of collaboration between the center and the regions considering that the Provincial Government cannot be alone in realizing the welfare of the community.

According to him, food security is the main part of the government, considering that food shortages can have an impact on multidimensional crises.

"For this reason, we support various central government policy steps in maintaining and strengthening national food security, one of which is by forming special institutions in the food sector, such as the National Food Agency. So, we fully support NFA to be able to carry out its duties as well as possible," he said.

For your information, collaborative steps to mobilize food to the deficit areas carried out by the West Java Provincial Government together with the NFA and the Ministry are in line with President Joko Widodo's directives which emphasize that all food stakeholders collaborate to build food mobilization connectivity from surplus areas to deficit areas in order to maintain national food availability and stability.